Swimming appliance



Match 24. 1925.

J. R. HEMINGER SWIMMING APPLIANCE Filed May 27, 1924 erably enlarged as at 2 Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOEL ROBERT HEMINGER, or AKRON, OHIO.

SWIMMING- APPLIANCE.

Application filed May 27, 1924. Serial No. 716,205.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jon. E. HEMINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Swimming Appliance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an appliance to be used by swimmers for the purpose of propelling them in water.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a light and eflicient appliance which can be readily attached to the swimmer and which has a tail portion adapted to be moved from side to side to simulate the movement of a fish and thus propel the swimmer forwardly.

Another object is to provide an appliance of this character which has a means for rendering it buoyant.

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings- Figure l is a perspective view showing the appliance in use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the appliance.

Fig. 3 is a plan View thereof.

Fig. & is a plan view showing the tail portion of the appliance while distorted during the operation thereof.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a broad thin web constituting the body portion of the appliance and the rear end of this web is prefto provide a tail. The tail portion 2 and, if desired, the web portion 1 is made of a suitable flexible material such as rubber or rubberized fabric which will retain its outline but can be flexed from side to side. A buoyant portion, such as a float 3, is formed on or secured to the web 1 or any other suitable part of the appliance and extending laterally from the rear portion of the web close to the tail portion 2 is a foot bar 1.

This bar has attaching plates 5 suitably secured to opposite faces of the web so that when the bar is swung or tilted relative to the web that portion of the web between the plates will be flexed.

Straps 6 are connected to the front end portion of the web 1 and to a belt 7 adapted to be secured about the waist of the user.

In using this device the web 1 is placed between the legs and the belt 7 is fastened about the waist. The foot bar 4; is so located that the feet of the user can press against the end portions thereof. The swimmer uses the arms as ordinarily and the float 3 will assist in maintaining the buoyancy of the swimmer. The feet are pressed successively against. the respective end portions of the bar 4: so that the rear portion of the web is first flexed to the right and then to the left. This will cause the tail portion 2 tobe given a sinuous motion from side to side simulating that of a fish moving through the water. This motion will also tend to propel the swimmer forwardly.

It is to be understood that the device can be made of different shapes and sizes and any suitable means other than those disclosed can be utilized for flexing the web and tail portion.

Although the bar 4 is preferably provided to be used as foot rests whereby the tail portion of the device can be flexed, it is to be understood that means other than those shown may be used for this purpose.

lVhat is claimed is 1. A swimming appliance including a web, foot rests extending in opposite directions from the web, a tail portion extending from the web and adapted to be flexed by the foot rests, and means for attachingthe web to the user.

2. A device of the class described including a web having a flexible tail portion, means extending in opposite directions from the web for engagement by the feet of the user to flex the tail portion and means for attaching the web to the user.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOEL ROBERT HEMINGER.

Witnesses W. E. HEMINGER, RALPH J. Ross. 

